The 10 Best Longboard Waves in California Ranked

The California coastline may just be the best stretch of surfing coastline in the world.

It offers everything from punchy, beach-break tubes to slabbing reefbreaks to perfect right point breaks.

Additionally, you’ll come across some of the best, and most historic, longboard waves in the world. Here is a ranking of the ten best…in my seasoned opinion. 

Honorable Mentions

*Bolinas, Marin County 

Classic Northern California longboarding—foggy, windy, bumpy, glassy, warm, sunny, cold, rainy—wait ten minutes and its mood will change.

Furthermore, it’s not that far from the city but it takes forever to get there. That being said, this spot can be so much fun when the swell hits the manicured sand bars just right and the San Francisco weather decides to take a chill pill and be a little less moody for a few hours (or a day or two).

As an extra Bay Area bonus, plenty of great white sharks roam the area as well, snacking on seals that populate the area. 

*Cowells, Santa Cruz 

Every few years or so, a mystical sand bar forms way inside of Steamer Lane.

When this happens, this spot comes to life with a ruler like perfection that provides for really, really long rides. Unfortunately, some years are better than others. But, when it is working it is a great place to log. Also unfortunate: everyone knows this as it is an easy check from the road.

Great place for beginners as there are few real hazards—besides the beginners themselves. 

10) Doheny State Beach, Dana Point 

Few waves are as beginner-friendly as Doheny. This prestigious beach has four waves to offer: the “Boneyard” (a miniature Lowers ), Middle peak, The Hammer, and, on large summer south swells, the outer reef.

Most days you’ll find the lineup packed with soft-tops and tourists, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t fun waves to catch.

Additionally, after extensive rainfall, the San Juan Rivermouth can open here, creating a perfect sandbar just south of the Hammer- but it's always best to wait a few days after the rain to avoid a dreaded sinus infection. 

9) Swami’s, Encinitas 

An Encinitas staple, Swami’s presents a running right-hander that’s soft on the takeoff, steep through the middle, and finishes off easily into a channel.

The crowd can be quite hectic— but let me know if you find a spot in SoCal this perfect that isn’t. And, when everything aligns, and you get one to yourself, it can almost be a religious experience.

What sets Swami’s apart from other spots on this list, and a lot of California for that matter, is its ability to handle really large Pacific winter swells without getting overwhelmed. When such swells come about, it’s often best to swap out the longboard for something better suited for high-performance surfing. 

8) Blackies, Newport Beach 

Similar to Doheny, Blackies is a beginner surfer’s haven. Small, sand-bottom peaks can be found along this stretch of beach just north of Newport Pier on west and northwest winter swells. Being the lone beachbreak on the list, rides are quick here.

That being said, with the right combo swell, there’s ample opportunity for long noserides paired with end-section floaters.

It’s rare to see Blackies get any bigger than three feet, keeping the lineup fairly longboard-centric.

An added plus is that there are plenty of food and drink options right next to the parking lot, from donuts and coffee to beer and burgers, to indulge in after a cold winter session. 

7) C Street, Ventura 

The most popular point in Ventura, C Street (also known as California Street and Ventura Point) can offer head-high, reeling rights on its best days.

The top of the point provides a steeper and quicker ride, whereas the inside presents a softer, running wall perfect for lengthy waves on larger surfcraft. Just be wary of beginners, and the gallons of sewage that tends to call Ventura home during winter months. 

6) Church, San Clemente 

Church could very well be the most underrated wave in California. Often overlooked due to its proximity to Lowers and San Onofre, this right hand pointbreak displays some of the most consistent, fun surf in SoCal.

Although it breaks throughout all seasons, it can often be too closed out or break up into sections on south swells.

However, on the ideal wintertime west swell, Church can turn into a mini- Rincon (we’ll get to that locale soon) with perfect waves firing off for three-hundred yards giving the rider that cobblestone stoke that only Trestles can provide. 

5) Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz 

Minus the pesky seaweed, Pleasure Point is a surfing mecca. The top of the point, called “Sewers,” offers a barrel section best suited for shortboarders.

Further down this stretch of reef however, you’ll find glassy running walls perfectly suited for boards nine feet and up. Make sure to bring a thick wetsuit in winter months, and be careful when surfing without a leash. The long swim in, the cliffs, and the sharks are no laughing matter around these parts.

4) Cardiff Reef, Cardiff-by-the Sea 

Contrary to most waves on this list, Cardiff has both rights and lefts to offer. Located at the exit of the San Elijo Lagoon Rivermouth, the right combination of swell (usually in the winter) and sand can produce waves that run a good two hundred yards.

Both the right and left pack a punch, offering a steep noseride section at the takeoff, and even a potential barrel if the wind is right. After your surf, make a stop at the break’s mascot, “The Cardiff Kook,” a legendary statue of a surfer in an awkward stance, located just up the road.

If you’re lucky enough, you’ll witness him dressed up in some outrageous outfit, no doubt, that will make you smile on the ride home. 

3) Rincon, Santa Barbara 

Catch the right wave at “The Cove” at Rincon and it will be engrained in your mind forever. This furthest inside section of the point, presents perfect sections to hang five and ten for minutes on end. The only downside is the inconsistency. And the crowd. And the run-off on rainy days. And… did I mention the crowd? Indeed, when it’s on, everyone wants to pay respect to the Queen of the California coast. Longboarders can make due in summer months, but the point only really turns on in winter. 

2) Malibu, Los Angeles 

In his work Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Friedrich Nietzsche stated that “one must have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star.”

No where is this more applicable than at Malibu First Point. Here, there are no rules.

Want to drop-in on everybody? Sure. Take a S.U.P out on a packed day? Why not. Feel like backpaddling?

Go ahead.

Ride a foil board dangerously close to others. Good times. But amongst all the chaos exists perhaps the most perfect right-hand pointbreak for longboarding in the world.

On its best days on a strong south swell, a First Point set wave can be almost two minutes long, providing ample noseride sections. Just be ready to dodge one, two, or ten surfers along the way. Just remember to put on your game face, and be ready to grind, because everyone wants to be a star this close to Hollywood. 

1) San Onofre State Beach, San Clemente 

There are few surfing spots in the world that possess a similar ambiance to San Onofre. It’s a place that has held still in time—a vintage, pre-digital snapshot full of distinct characteristics— and is all the better for it.

Since its establishment as a state park in 1971, “SanO” has been a hotbed for up-and-coming longboarders. Plotted in the middle of Camp Pendleton Marine Base, this short stretch of beach offers a wide variety of waves year-round.

Swells from all directions get in here. Enjoy a fast, steep right at “The Point,” take advantage of a perfect A-frame noseride section at “Four Doors,” or pick off some long, cruisey peaks at “Old Man’s.”

And the best feature at SanO isn’t even the waves, but the easy-access beachfront parking along with friends to tailgate and talk story with. The only con: a lengthy wait in line during the summer months. You can always go early to get in the front of the line, but that often requires waking up an hour or two before dawn and then… waiting in line for the ranger to open up the park. Bottom line, you will have to wait if you want to score. But, it’s like Jean-Jacques Rousseau said: "Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet."

So, bring a book to read or a pillow to sleep on and be ready to feast when you finally slip into that perfect SanO wave.